Brian Wilson Is Not Planning to Retire

Brian Wilson is nearing the end of two years worth of dates bringing the Beach Boys' legendary Pet Sounds record around the world. But even though he said back in 2016 that this was going to be the last go-round for the full-album performances of Pet Sounds, and currently has no dates scheduled for 2018, he's not yet ready to quit the road.

"I think we're gonna end up Pet Sounds on this trip," he told Cindy McMullen of Central New York's 96.1 the Eagle, which you can hear in full above. But he added, "I'm not gonna retire. ... I love touring."

Wilson recalled what prompted the writing of that record's songs, which famously broke away from the Beach Boys' formula into more personal territory. "I was tired of doing surf songs and car songs," he said, adding that he wanted to venture "into a new area that hadn't been before. .. It took us two months to write it and three months to record it. I worked with the Wrecking Crew. They had great musicians."

Even with the thrill of playing one of rock's most beloved albums every night, Wilson said that his favorite song to perform on these dates has been "California Girls." He also had nothing but praise for the other original Beach Boy on this tour, Al Jardine, not just as a singer, but for being easy to work with and for handling a lot of the master of ceremonies chores during the show.

Wilson closed with a bit of advice for young musicians. "My advice is for them to sit down and not take drugs, for one thing, and to try to write a song."